Reactions to the Yellowstone's maden voyage

[Leifer]

"Many of the Indians who had been in habit of trading with the Hudson Bay Company, declared that the company could no longer compete with the Americans, and concluded thereafter to bring all their skins to the latter; and said that the British might turn out their dogs and burn their sledges, as they would no longer be useful while the Fire Boat walked on the waters." -- Missouri Republican

I'm curious your thoughts gentlemen. What's the probability of the validity of this statement? Could this just a stab at good ol' American patriotism against the foreign companies?

[Rod]

Probably a bit of hyperbole there, although the steamboats were impressive. I've always been amused at Long's steamboat, the Western Engineer. It had a dragon's head on the bow (kind of like a Viking ship), and the steam exhausted out the mouth. Now that would have been something to see!

www.topogs.org/b_long.html

steamboattimes.com/steamboats_1811~61_p1.html

Rod